Attached printing matrices



F. G. YANES ATTACHED PRINTING MATRICES March 10, 1942.

F iled Nov. 18, 1938 2 Shee ts-Sheet l March 10, 1942. F. G. YANESATTACHED PRINTING MATRICES Filed Nov. 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ELAN KINVENT OR.

FIG-7.

PatentedlMar.16,1942 v UNITED 9 STATES-PAT Fb -FI E ATTACHED PRINTINGMATRICES Francisco Yam, New York, N. Y. r Application November 18, 1938,Serial No..24 1,177 (0141-31)" tion madeonce will serve notonly for thefirst 10 Claims.

The invention relatesto improvements in dye printing photographicprocesses in which matrix films representing textgtone or colorpartlvalues are first provided with transferable coloring substances andthen printed in register or special alignment on 'a blank. The inventionconcerns the registration step in regard to when and how the course ofthe reproduction process. In combination with old steps the inventiongreatly' simplifies the mechanical reproduction and is particularlysuitable for color photography. By permanently combining in a unittangible elements at a, certain stage of the process the new step ismaterialized in a product.

One of the. purposes of. the invention is. to

. eliminate the use of auxiliary devices for registering matrix films orpart images printed in different blanks.

such step can be performed with advantage in;

picture but; for all the pictures produced from said matrices which areprinted, washed, dried and filed forfuture use in such bound condition,so that not onlya registering device but the registration itself isfurther unnecessary.

'Another purpose of the invention is the pro tection of the delicatematrix films'during their handling for it saves them from scratches andother common accidents.

manently attached margins do not permit any sliding which could resultin harmful friction.

This is particularly important when the matrices after printed are filedfor future use, as it is well known that old loose matrices are usuallyworthless and ruined. When the matrices are Thispurpose is attained byproducing the printing. matrices on a material having an elasticsupport, providinga sufficient margin at one end of the matrices,bringing the matrices into register, and then permanently attaching saidmatrices atsaid margin in book- "like form, as for instance by solderingor rivetin'g once and for all the printing matrices to each other.' Dueto the elasticity of their support and the margin left the film matricesthough attached in register permit enough separation for their inkingand for inserting'the printing blank and produce the picture in knownmanner. This new permanent registration, cannot be practiced when thematrices are all produced in material of rigid support, as ordinaryplates, andis also unapplicable to. the production of cinematographiclength of film for in this case matrices and blank have the same widthand no margin can be provided. But such limitations are unimportantbecause Celluloid supported films have practically oustedtodayphotographic plates and.

because the moving picture production rather requires auxiliary devicesfor a great output in a the, ordinary photographer or amateur who cannotafford an'installation including registering devices 'of great precisionto I produce a small number of pictures.

' Another purpose of the invention is the saving of time. In twocolorwork, for instance, whether two matrices or two blanks bearingdifferent part images have to be registered, thatoperation, either bymachine or hand, must be repeated for every picture and in thelast casethe blank .must also be glued. While according to the invention two.matrices permanentlybound face. to face, and registered once, will printpart ,records in. register on opposite sides of a transparent doublecoated support as many times as desired in a single and final operation.The registrasort of mass production of pictures. The advan- T tages ofthe new step are however, priceless for three, I assemble one pair faceto face and the or extra piece of plain Celluloid for protection. Ifonly transparencies wer'to be printed the odd matrix could be protectedby the back of one of the pair, but for all purposes I prefer .toaddotherface out but facing an auxiliary element the extra protectingcover.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide ,a' system ofregistration suitable not only for two but for three or four color work.I--may use a blank formed by two separate elasticv elements whichIattach or-solder exactly as I do with the matrices at one margin. Itmust be observed that I do not use a marginally soldered pair of blanksfor two color work'where a double coated single blank is sufiicient'butfor producing three or-four color pictures. It must alsobe noticed thatthe two'element blank which-,1 use for three ,or four color work isformed asexplained by two separate, parts and that these parts are boundas the matrices. Only in that condition they registration is dependablefor as it is well known the position of a plane is determined by three.points' and, when two elements are soldered or riveted, the attachedsections occupy enoughsurface to secure the position of the printingplanes. In other words, the matrices or the two bound blanks can bepartially separated because soldered and fastened to each When thematrices are two, assembled face to face, the images are inside and thebare Celluloid out, while the pertached matrices with; a protectingfourth element'.

Fig. 4 is a set of four marginallyjand permanentlybound matrix films.

Fig. 5 is a combination of pictorial andtext matter in two attachedmatrices.

ants, and I place incontact with each matrix Fig. 6 shows two attachedpigmented matrices. Fig. 7 illustrates a separating marginal strip Kbetween attached matrices. Although the invention is suitable fordifferent methods of dye transferring and capable of serving differentpurposes in mechanical printing, we

support of Celluloid. As shown in the figure the complementary partimages are printed so that they maybe brought in register when thegelatine sides of both matrices are facing each other.

Those reliefs are produced with a sufficient margin for the solderingshown in Fig. 2. I practice this by wetting and brushing away part ofthe gelatine in contacting sections at one end of both reliefs, andafter bringing the images in register I carefully apply to the bareCelluloid of both elements the well known fihn cement, 5. manequivalent. I may also place between the soldered margins an auxiliaryelement consisting of an intermediate strip of Celluloid 6, Fig. 7, towhich both matrices are soldered in order to separate the printingplanes in the thickness of the blank. This soldering of course can beperformed by other means as rivets (5b), eyelets (5a) or any suitablemeans that would firmly and permanently bind the matrices at the marginand preserve the registration without interfering with a partialseparation of the matrix films as the leaves of a book.

For the coloring of the bound matrix films any known means with somesuitable modifications may be used, as a two cell tank having thecomplementary coloring solutions separated by a partition, the marginallowed in the matrix films permitting to interlock said partitionbetween the bound matrices and thus selectively dye each one with adifierent color.

- I prefer however, ,to apply the dyes in another form and by either oneor two new methods of my invention which I have successfully practiced.Besides being equally efiicient and far superior from several points ofview to the old dyeing bath system, those methods present a particularadvantage for the coloring of bound matrices in color photographicreproduction, and that is that the colors are carried to the surface ofthe matrix films by sheet-like thin elements. This permits to reduce toa minimum the margin on each matrix because the necessary separation toinsert said dyeing elements is very small and so the soldered matriceshaving less play are still more accurately registered.

One of the dyeing methods of my invention that I use consists inseparately applying in succession to the matrix films the dry and theliquid components of a dyeing liquor. I first take two out pieces of asheet like medium, tissue, porous paper or equivalents which have beenimpregnated with complementary dyeing solutions in concentrated form andwhich contain in dry state the corresponding dyestuffs and dyeingassistfilm respectively the dry colored sheets. Then I take a lintlessblotter, or better a waterproof support double coated with thin,lintless blotter or equivalents, and imbibe this element in the liquidcomponent of the dyeing liquor which is a weak solution of glacialacetic acid or equivalent, and I insert the liquid holding elementbetween the sheets already in contact .with the matrix films.

In that manner, and by gently squeegeeing I pro-..

duce in a simple way the dyeing liquor at the very surface of the matrixfilms and then allow the necessary time .for their selective inking.

Another means that I may use for inking the bound matrix films and whichis particularly suitable for wash-off reliefs is the polychromatic padof my invention. Such pad consists of a thin waterproof support carryingon each side gelatine or equivalent medium in which a different coloringsubstance in dry state is respecti ely incorporated. Although this padis of different types and may supply more than two colors, the onedescribed serves the purpose for the present disclosure. For wash-offmatrix films the dyeing pad may be made by double coating the supportwith hard gelatine amounting to 0.25 gramme per cm. and 0.03 to 0.05gramme of selected acid dyes for the same surface. The pad, being in drycondition, needs to be soaked for about 5 minutes in water to producethe dyeing liquor in the gelatine. For that purpose a weak solution ofglacial acetic acid is satisfactory, where the selected colors do notbleed. For the inking the soldered matrices are wetted in a weaksolution of ammonia to produce an alkalinity which increases theaffinity for acid dyes as it is well known in the tinctorial industry.The sandwich is then made, squeegeed and kept for a few minutes untilthe matrix films are inked.

Besides those described other means may be used for selectively dyeingthe soldered matrices, although the last two are most suitable forseveral advantages among which their simplicity and cleanness.

After the matrices are inked, Fig. 6, the coloring element is extractedand the known mordanted double coated blank Fig. '7, previously soakedin water is introduced between the matrices, squeegeed to contact andleft for a few minutes. Then the finished picture is extracted anddried.

The simplification in outfit and manipulation attained by the inventionin the. described example may be now summarized:

Two wash-off soldered matrices One coloring pad One printing blank Weakglacial acetic acid solution Weak ammonia solution A squeegee Processwashed in ammoniacal water for a new pass. Before flling the boundmatrices for future. use it is advisable to leave them open for a fewminutes; until dry and so theywill keepprotected, inregister and readyfor printing at any time.

In the-example presented abicolor reproduction was considered. For threeand four color work the book of matrices is permanently bound the lowerelement in Fig. 3 has not an image but 3 a'raticn between the attachedmatrix'films for providing the same with transferable coloring gas shownin Figs. 3 and 4. It can be observed that l0- represents a plain pieceof Celluloid to protect the odd matrix film. As'tothe coloring, two padsare necessary, each inking two matrices or the odd one; and in regard tothe printing two blanks will be used, soldered as a' book of matricesand then interleaved between the'inked matrix films.

The useof bound matrixiilms is not only applicable to the wash-oiprocess but to other methods involving the inking and printing of keyimages, with the 'obvious variation of dyeing liquors and coloringtechnique. 7 Y

The book of matrices is not only useful for color photography but alsofor combining photographic tone values' for dichroiceiiects. It may alsobe used with adavantage for simultaneous matrices in register substancesandfor interleaving between said matrix films a blank surfaces. I

' 2. A plurality of printing matrices suitable for pigment transferring,said matrices respectively representing diiferent tone values of. thesame subject, said printing matrices assembled in reg-;

lster and attached at one margin.

3. A plurality of printing matrices suitable for pigment transferringand representing, respectively, color part values of thes'ame subject,said and attached at one mar- 4. A plurality of printing matricessuitable for pigment transferring, and respectively representingdifferent selected pictorial and text matprinting of records ofdifferent type on opposite sidesof an opaque blank as an illustratedpost card, Fig. 5, the registration amounting to the I correct alignmentof the text. These and many planes and still allows enough separationfor the I inking after. the registration; to permanently bind saidmatricesface to face so as to protect them; to. eliminate any auxiliarybalky or un'-- reliable device for registering; and to keep the matricesin book form and in registeronce and for all. As this last stepmaterializes the invention in a set of matrices permanently bound andforming dmit which can be filed, sold or mailed sembled films.'

ter, said matrices arranged in register and alignment in regard to each-other and attached at one margin.

y 5. An article including in a unit a plurality of marginally attachedprinting matrices in cooperating printing position and pigmented, themar- 25 gins in said matrices sufficiently elastic to allow theirpartial separation, the unit in normal position presenting the 6. Thecombination of a printing matrix having an elastic support and anotherprinting matrixalso having a support, said'printing matrices attachedtogether at one margin, the printing side of one of the matrices facingthe printing side of the other matrix, the supports protecting the innerprinting sides of both matrices from harmful friction. v /I 7. Thecombination of a sheet-like printing matrix and a'similar sheet-likeelement, said matrlx and said element attached to each other at onemargin, said element facing and protecting the printing side of saidmatrix from harmful friction, and permitting s'uflicient separation toprovide the matrix with transferable coloring substances and,tointerleave a printing blank betweenithe matrix and the protectingelement.

8. The combination .of two sheet-like printing matrices and aninterposed marginal strip atin such condition, it seems that the scopeof the invention is fully embodied in the book of matrices. Thecharacteristics of the invention may thus be summarized inth'at thecombination may include printing matrices and also auxiliary members,respectlvelyarranged in cooperating printing position, attachedat'convenient sections of their margins and forming a unit.

It must also be understood that'the presentdisclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that my invention includes any equivalents orvariations whichfa ll within the scope of the appended I claim: s f

, 1. A plurality of printing matrix films suitable for pigmenttransferring, said printing matrix films having elastic supports andeach one a margin, all of said matrix films attached" together at saidmargin in book form, the margin and'th'e elasticity of the supportpermitting sumcient septached together and maintaining the majorportions of the matrices in separated relation for interleaving a blanktherebetween, said strip and s'aidblank substantially having the samethickness. and the same contacting planes with said matrices. I

,9. An article comprising printing matrices and auxiliary elementsattached at convenient sections of their margins in cooperating printingposition and forming a unit, the margins in said matrices being'elastic, the attachment of the matrices including suflicient area as tofix their respective printing-planes, and the elasticity of theirmargins being enough to provide suilicient 7 play for inking andprinting purposes.

position the said printing elements.

10. In a printing device formed by a plurality of attached elementsforming a unit, a number of printing elements in cooperating printingposition andhaving elastic margins attached to other elements, theelasticity of said margins and the attached sections providing hinges ofgreat precision for successively printing in correct super- F. e.YANns'.

having ajplurality of printing appearance of several as-

